Shloka 39

Devanagari script

ते प्रयाता व्यरोचन्त परानभिमुखास्त्रय: । हूयमाना यथा यज्ञे समिद्धा हव्यवाहना:,शत्रुओंकी ओर जाते समय वे तीनों तेजस्वी वीर यज्ञमें आहुति पाकर प्रज्वलित हुए तीन अग्नियोंकी भाँति प्रकाशित हो रहे थे

Transliteration

te prayātā vyarocanta parānabhimukhās trayaḥ | hūyamānā yathā yajñe samiddhā havyavāhanāḥ ||

Translation

શત્રુઓની સામે આગળ વધતા તે ત્રણેય તેજથી ઝળહળ્યા—જેમ યજ્ઞમાં આહુતિ પડતાં ત્રણ અગ્નિઓ પ્રજ્વલિત થાય તેમ.

Word by Word

तेthey/those

प्रयाताःhaving set out, departed

विरोचन्तshone, appeared radiant

परान्enemies/others (the opposing side)

अभिमुखाःfacing toward

त्रयःthree

हूयमानाःbeing invoked/offered into (receiving oblations)

यथाas, like

यज्ञेin a sacrifice

समिद्धाःkindled, blazing

हव्यवाहनाःfire(s) that carry oblations (Agni)

Speaker

संजय उवाच

Characters & Entities

Sañjaya

three warriors (trayaḥ)

enemies (parāḥ/śatravaḥ implied)

yajña (sacrifice)

havyavāhana (Agni; sacrificial fire)

Character Dynamics

Dharma Sankata (Moral Dilemma)

War Context

Verse Rasa (Emotional Essence)

Philosophical Teaching

Political Layer

Geographic Context

Meter (Chandas)

Sandhi Notes

Educational Q&A

What is the core teaching?

The verse uses sacrificial-fire imagery to show how intention and momentum can intensify moral danger: when warriors move toward violence, their power can flare up as if ‘fed’ by the act itself. It invites reflection on how war can mimic ritual certainty while still being ethically fraught, especially in the Sauptika context of nocturnal slaughter.

What is happening in the narrative?

Sañjaya describes three men setting out toward the enemy camp. As they advance, they appear radiant and formidable, compared to three sacrificial fires blazing when offerings are poured—foreshadowing the destructive action that will follow in the Sauptika Parva.